1988 Ford Bronco II Reviews - Page 6 of 14

1988 Ford Bronco II XLT 2.9L V6 from North America

Summary:

Faults:

Transmission went a week after it was bought, but the dealer replaced it free of charge.

Radiator leaks, not a large problem though.

Had to replace the brakes.

Four wheel drive stopped working, was easily fixed at minimal cost.

General Comments:

I have owned this Bronco for 5 years now, and it has been great since I bought it. I have had no real major problems with it, and have spent a small amount on repairs and damages. There was some transmission trouble, but that has now been fixed. Also, it is not the best on gas mileage, but it's worth the little bit of extra money.

I take it four wheeling often and it handles beautifully on and off the trails. Many people criticize the Bronco's handling and stability, but I have not had a problem with it yet.

Canadian winters are always tough on cars, wind, snow, and ice are common driving conditions. The four wheel drive handled these conditions with ease as it made winter driving much less stressful.

The interior on the Bronco was very comfortable and is still in mint condition. Installing a CD player is very easy as it fits perfectly into the stock location.

All in all I really enjoy my Bronco II and don't plan on getting rid of it any time soon.

1988 Ford Bronco II XLT 2.9L (177 cid) from North America

Summary:

This is an OK beater

Faults:

A lot of things. The water pump blew out when I first bought it. Valve cover gaskets were next to go. Radiator went out, Brake line blew. Fuel tank replaced as well as the fuel sending unit.I'll tell ya this it was good truck and it served it's purpose.I'll miss it.

General Comments:

This truck is dependable if you put money into it. When I say money I mean lots of it.

28th May 2008, 20:34

I hear you about lots of money required to sustain the B2. I got mine for $5K and just my repairs added up to over $10K,...engine, transmission for starters, lost count on the other problems. I retired it when the second engine could no longer run on bars leaks... it had a cracked head.

General Comments:

This truck has been extremely reliable. The only times it has let me down have been when the battery failed. A working ammeter would presumably have alerted me to this before it became a problem.

I off-road in it, although not obsessively. It has seen me through fairly deep snow (with chains on all 4 wheels), sand and rocks. It's highly maneuverable and fun to drive, although the engine has noticeably less umph than when it was younger. That goes for all of us though, eh? I rarely ride in the back seat, but if you do you will see why it's called a Bronco.

Contrary to the bad press it received, I've always found it to handle admirably. There have been at least three occasions on which I could have died in this car. Two of these required abrupt, evasive swerves. On both occasions the truck handled with great aplomb. There was no indication whatsoever that it was going to flip over. On the third occasion I lost control on a dirt road that was covered in black ice. It span 360 degrees, but I managed to regain control and drive it to safety.

The body, both interior and exterior, is still in good shape. I live in San Diego and have kept it in a garage or car port for most of its life, which no doubt helps. I drive it mostly on weekends, rarely during the week.

The only regular maintenance I do on it is change the engine oil and wash it. Oh, and I change the spark plugs and air filter before the biannual smog tests.

I would be very reluctant to exchange it for one of Ford's newer SUV's.

20th Mar 2004, 08:42

Hi, I just wanted to say I have to agree with you about the little b2.Aside from mine being a little soggy in the engine area mine is doing fine at 180k, no major work as of yet and it's an 88 model, some rust, but hey, I live in Ohio that's inevitable. Keep rollin' :)

8th Feb 2009, 01:27

I have the 88' model, and HONESTLY right now it runs pretty crappy, it needs lifters, and an oil pump, (no ammeter), but other than those two things it runs pretty decent, it has approximately 200,000 on the engine, have replaced the head gaskets, they STILL leak, back-up still work, so it's pretty much a decent SUV... mine is on 33's with 6 inches of lift.